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How to Enable AirPrint Service on Mac OS X 10.6.5?

Author: Ben Johnson on November 22, 2010

Apple introduced AirPrint feature in iOS 4.2 which allows you to print your documents, photos, emails, web-pages etc wirelessly (over a Wifi connection) with your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Apple removed AirPrint support in Mac OS X 10.6.5 (Snow Leopard) at the last stage before its launch because of some technical or patent issues. Following guide will allow you to activate AirPrint feature on OS X 10.6.5 for using shared printing on your iOS device.

AirPrint on Mac OS X

Steps to Enable AirPrint Feature on OS X 10.6.5

  1. Make sure that your system is updated to latest Mac OS X 10.6.5
  2. Download the AirPrint Activation files given here and copy them into following three specific system locations:
    • Copy file urftopdf to location /usr/libexec/cups/filter/
    • Copy file apple.convs to location /usr/share/cups/mime/
    • Copy file apple.types to location /usr/share/cups/mime/

      • * Overwrite any existing files if prompted.

  3. Go to system preferences and delete your saved printer.
  4. Restart your Mac.
  5. Re-add any printers you want to share.

That's it! Enjoy the wireless printing experience on your iOS device. [via lifehacker]

Update1: How to Enable AirPrint Service on Windows 7/Vista/XP (32-bit/64-bit)?



  • http://trajnet.com Traj

    I found this, but I am using 10.6.8. I did everything as described by showing hidden files and then making the changes.

    I still cannot print though. I wonder if the upgrade to OS is the reason.

    Traj

  • Fourline

    Look for the download for AirPrint activator. I have downloaded this on my Mac and it does it all for you. All you do is add you printer and you are good to go. No small print to deal with. I have it on my Mac pro and have a cannon pima running. I found it at cnet.

  • Bill C

    Excellent. i've got it set up on an iMac and two MacBook Pro's and printing from both iPad and iPhone 4.

    I haven't attempted a Windows machine but that is my next try.

  • Brian

    Amazing job! Thanks! Works perfectly using PDF Expert.

  • Danger247

    How do I uninstall this mess. It worked for one printing. Now I cannot print anything on my computer. It says they printer software was installed incorrectly.

  • Bill C

    I meant "urftopdf"

  • Bill C

    You'll need to start terminal
    run the command su - which will prompt for your admin password
    type cd /usr/libexec/cups/filter/
    type rm urotopdf hit enter
    This will remove the old file
    now open the folder where your downloaded files
    type "p (drag the file to the terminal window to get the correct path) "file name" and hit enter

    Once you've copied the file, navigate to the below directories and do the same
    /usr/share/cups/mime/
    /usr/share/cups/mime/

    Delete your printer
    reboot
    reinstall and share printer
    viola! You have airprint

  • Bill C

    Works awesome! Thank you for the tutorial. I'm printing from my iPhone 4. la la la!!

  • Pat Slice

    i apologize if i sound dumb, but i still don't get it. is someone willing to do a step-by-step?

  • Don

    My airprint works perfectly only when the laptop where I installed the files is turned on. When that laptop is turned off airprint does not work. Is this they way it is for everybody?

    • Diana

      I am experiencing the same thing. Kind'a lame since I could just print stuff out my laptop but the hack is better than nothing, I guess.

  • wilsonics

    This is awesome, if your printer is connected to your computer. I have my printer connected to my Airport Express base station. Any hack for that? Many thanks to the submitter for the great hack.

  • Sean

    Will this work with network printers? I've followed the directions to a T but keep getting "No Pritners Found" when attempting to print an email.

    • Sean

      I did get it to work, make sure the printer is shared. But I did have kernel panic this morning.

  • Jeremy Little

    Perfect! Works like a charm. Thank you!

    • Farzad

      So I have read this thread and I am still at a loss. Jeremy, what did you do exactly? Does it work? Thanks, FRN

  • jean

    It works, but everything gets printed in a small square area in the center of the page :(

  • Steve V

    WTF?!!!

  • Garance Drosehn

    I haven't tried the instructions yet, but /usr means /usr. Literally.

    This from a unix prompt:

    (11) # ls -l /usr/libexec/cups
    total 0
    drwxr-xr-x 17 root wheel 578 Nov 23 00:38 backend/
    drwxr-xr-x 7 root wheel 238 Nov 22 22:39 cgi-bin/
    drwxr-xr-x 6 root wheel 204 Nov 22 22:39 daemon/
    drwxr-xr-x 3 root wheel 102 Jun 3 00:21 driver/
    drwxr-xr-x 32 root wheel 1088 Nov 22 22:39 filter/
    drwxr-xr-x 4 root wheel 136 Nov 22 22:39 monitor/
    drwxr-xr-x 4 root wheel 136 Nov 22 22:39 notifier/

    • Jeremy Little

      So is this something I can only get to using Terminal or how do I find these locations?

      • ffd

        Just use the finder Go To Folder command (Shift+Command+G)

      • Jon R

        These system folders are hidden by OS X. If Terminal is a bit hard for you, use the finder! Finder (the face in your dock)->Go->Go to folder...->/usr replace usr with whatever folder you need to go to.

  • Jeremy Little

    Am I missing something? These folders don't exist on my machine.
    /usr/libexec/cups/filter/
    /usr/share/cups/mime/
    /usr/share/cups/mime/
    I'm assuming "usr" is supposed to be my user name right?
    If those folders don't exist am I supposed to create them? A little help here.